WE LOVE our sunburnt country, and even as drivers we can show our appreciation for it via myriad drop-top convertible choices in the new-car showroom.

A case in point is BMW’s new 4 Series convertible which grows in every dimension except height over its 3 Series predecessor to increase its sporting pedigree, despite its rather corporate-looking attire.

For this generation, BMW has stuck with using a folding metal roof rather than travelling down the path of fitting a lightweight cloth one.

It also has the fringe benefit of providing buyers with a shapely two-door pillarless coupe if all the windows are down and the roof in place.

The new range has gone up in price, but BMW claims buyers now get a roof-down experience that includes added value as well as big gains in performance and fuel economy thanks to significant driveline improvements.

All in all the improvements appear to be worth it – let the sun shine in.

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